Page 31 of A Soul to Guide

She couldn’t outrun him – that had already been made obvious. She doubted she’d even be able to if shecouldsee where she was going. Where did that leave her?

It’s either me or the forest,he’d said, which meant he knew exactly the predicament she found herself in.

As she turned to go inside, Raewyn shuddered with repulsion before rubbing at her cheek in tiredness. Just as her left hand touched the distressed timber of the door, the smoothness of her cheek reminded her of how he’d healed her.

If he was intending to be cruel or hurt her, he wouldn’t have taken care of her wound... would he?Or am I just reaching for hope that everything will be okay?

She slammed the door behind her and hugged her midsection, wishing she could barricade the entryway. Her stomach was tied into knots of uncertainty and worry, unsure of where she stood with her scary, unknown companion. He killed two Demons with little effort, in a matter of breaths, so just how quickly could he dispose of Raewyn?

He knew I was an Elf just from looking at me.She nibbled at the inside of her bottom lip.What does he want from me?

The creak of weight bearing down on the timber slats had her ears pressing backwards and lowering. Raewyn backed up even before the door opened, and his scent mixed with fresh air billowed in from outside.

She hated that she found his orange and cinnamon smell comforting.

When the door closed, the silence was so distinct it was almost deafening. All she could hear was her own startled heartbeat overtop of her breaths. Her thoughts went quiet, giving her a reprieve so she could quickly make a decision, depending on his next move.

Raewyn shivered, her expended adrenaline now leaving her colder than ever.

She flinched when he stepped forward, but other than the flooring, she heard nothing from him; not his breaths, nor the material of whatever he wore shifting.

He was frightfully quiet. A true predator.

The clacking of two different kinds of stones boomed in the silence, but it was the sweet smell of fire that had her settling. He was lighting the fireplace. Considering he’d been able to track her and fight those Demons, she didn’t think he needed the light.

Is he warming the house for me?Regardless, she refused to step closer, despite the urge to. Even when the fire was in full roar, seeming to ease the quiet and bring life to the house, she stayed put.

“Is... is Merc even your real name?” She didn’t know why that was the first question that spewed from her shaking lips, but she wanted to know just how deeply he’d lied.

“No,” he answered.

His response immediately made her pulse spike, and her hands shook as she wiped them on the skirt of her dress. “What about that story you told me? The one of your parents, the farm town, your brothers? Does Rivenspire even exist?”

“Absolutely, it does, but it was destroyed about fifty years ago. It’s nothing but ruins now.”

The saliva in her mouth thickened.

The tears that pooled in her eyes were of betrayal. She hated the hurt that cut through her, making it feel as though a lump had formed right behind her sternum. She hadn’t had much trust in him to begin with, but even the smallest amount being chopped away was painful.

Raewyn hated being lied to, especially since she had nothing to gauge a person by but their words.

“Your family?” she asked with her lips quivering. “Brothers?”

“I’ve got many brothers, none of which I care for,” he answered nonchalantly, having no idea just how much each word cut her up further. “My parents? Somewhere out in this world, and I couldn’t give a fuck about them either.”

The worst thing about crying when she didn’t want to was having to wipe her cheek and chin because it tickled her skin. She didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to show any kind of weakness, and yet she was incapable of stopping her tears, no matter how much she tried.

“You lied to me,” she angrily sobbed.

“I lie to everyone. Don’t take it personally.” Gosh, he sounded so cruel! “And you have quite the hide to spout that, when you’ve been prancing around under a cloak and mask to hide that you’re really an Elf.”

She didn’t have a violent bone in her body, but she sincerely wished to go straight up to him and punch him in the face. She was exceptionally glad she’d kicked him in the balls, or cock, or whatever! Not just once, but twice.

“What even are you?!” she yelled, her breath sputtering with anxiety. The warmth in her swelling, tear-stained face drained away when he stomped closer, his footsteps echoing with thumps. “St-stay back!”

“Or what?” he chuckled deeply. “You’re going to smack me with those little hands of yours?”

She quickly knelt so her hands could touch the timber and let magic flow through her palms. Brown, glittering magic lit up, and a barrier formed between them – a really,reallypointless one.

---